From the Mountains of the Leopards
by bebewrites
Summary: Delena, AU ; Somebody is playing with her head, trying to take control of her and she can't even begin to think that it might be Mystic Falls' new residents. They're fighting their own war and her body just might be the battlefield without her consent.


**author's note: Hi! This is a story I've been contemplating and working on for a while. Yes, it's AU, but it still closely resembles the series in a lot of ways with a few book things mixed in and...other stuff. You'll see. It's mostly Damon/Elena, but there will be a bit of Stefan/Elena, and some implied Damon/Katherine/Stefan and Damon/Stefan later on. It's dark and there's sex and a lot of creepiness, so don't say I didn't warn you. **

**This chapter is most definitely M. **

**Enjoy! And leave feedback if you want more. It's always appreciated, even if I don't reply every time!**

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><p>It was a peculiar thing, a crow in the dead of winter, sitting on the lowest branch of the tree in the schoolyard like it was the king, watching its people go about their day with little care. But there was something else about it-Elena had remembered Bonnie saying something about how crows were evil omens, signs of death, and she shivered at the thought. But not because of the cold. She was uncomfortable with the bird being there, watching and opening its beak to let out a shrill sound that she had felt was directed at *her*. She would have thrown something at it in an attempt to get it away, but that would have made her look insane...even if no one else seemed to be noticing the black bird.<p>

She had a sudden feeling of familiarity, one she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried. The crow...there was something about it, something Elena felt like she knew, but as the school bell rang, she had no time to think further about it and forced herself to try and forget the blot of black that stood out so well surrounded by pure white snow. She turned back to look at it anyways, just a peek when she was at the door of the school and the creature was gone as if it had never been there in the first place. She shook her head and rushed inside.

Elena hadn't seen the crow again that day and she was beginning to think it had just been some crazy figment of her imagination, after all, no one else had even known it was there. Maybe it really was just her. All she knew was she wanted to get home as quick as possible, she didn't have time for fiction; thanks to Mr. Tanner, she now had a ton of homework to finish _and_ she had still promised Caroline she would help with the winter dance. Really, why had she agreed?

**xxxx**

The girl hefted her bag up with a sigh, slipping through the emptying hallways with her head downcast, focus on her sneakered feet. But when she reached the door and had pulled her coat around herself to fight the cold, she noticed a crowd of people standing on the grounds, girls mostly, but there was some boys mixed in. Probably just something stupid like freshman poking a dead squirrel, she thought, but she came close anyways to see what all the fuss was about. Caroline and Bonnie were of course at the front of the group and they were both grinning. And then she noticed what had caught their attention. Parked on the side of the street was a classic blue Camaro and leaning against it...a man: handsome, dressed in all black, lounging around carelessly as if he was waiting for someone.

"Hottie alert," Bonnie whispered to Elena while Caroline let out a giggle she had tried to subside.

"Oh god, I think...I think I should go talk to him," the blonde said, unable to stop smiling wide, even as Elena rolled her eyes.

She didn't see what the big deal was. Yeah, he was nice looking, but really... She pulled away from her friends and went on her way, something deep inside compelling her to go in the direction of the stranger. As she was passing him, she pulled her head up and their eyes met. A smirk came to his lips and Elena felt herself blush, felt the pull of those deep blue eyes. Okay, maybe he was a bit more than nice looking. He was...alluring. A part of her wanted to stop there with him...but she kept on going, looking back after a few feet to see the man staring at her, head cocked, smile still intact.

She smiled back at him, just a small, nervous one, but maybe it was enough. Maybe it was an invitation. There you go, being weird weird again, Elena scolded herself, her steps becoming hurried. She wanted to forget about him.

**xxxx**

At home in bed with a stomach full from dinner and teeth freshly brushed, Elena stared across her pillow at the green diary sitting at the edge of her nightstand. What did she have to say about today? 'I thought this creepy crow was watching me, and then there was this *really* nice looking stranger at school and'- She cut off her thoughts and reached out for the lamp, shutting it off. Enough was enough. No more disturbing birds or handsome guys for her. She had to focus on her classes and the upcoming dance...which she didn't even have a date for. There was Matt, and he was as sweet as always, but Elena just wouldn't feel right dragging him to the dance as a friend. Whatever, it's just a stupid dance, she told herself, turning over in bed and slowly drifting off to sleep.

She dreamed of the night. Chilly, but it didn't feel like winter...more like spring. There was no snow on the ground, only the fresh green grass that was wet and cold against her bare feet. There was...emptiness in the darkness as the fog rolled in like thick ethereal clouds and there was no fear in her, no doubt. Waiting, she was waiting for something, something she had never felt before in her life. Was that what she doing here? At this stranger's house, one she had never seen before. Heard of...? Maybe. There was a name on her tongue but the letters were jumbled and wouldn't form no matter how hard she thought about it. Elena pressed her head into her hands and closed her eyes as she took a deep, shaky breath, body trembling from the cold of the Virginia night. The wind blew through her like a sharp knife, but she couldn't stop.

There was suddenly a form she saw from the corner of her eye, inky black and...welcoming. It was the thing she was waiting for, she knew it suddenly like a switch had flipped inside of her. The girl attempted to speak, to turn her head and take it in, but she couldn't do either. She could only watch the house, foreboding, large...black in every window. And that...*thing*, it told her to enter. She discovered the front door was unlocked like someone was waiting up for her, for her to come home. But hadn't they been?

Inside, the manor was even lightly illuminated by candles, their wax dripping down their slender off-white bodies, flames flickering. Elena looked around the place with wide, brown eyes, taking in the sight of the fireplace and its mantle, the framed paintings that looked down at her mournfully, and the large pieces of leather furniture. She called 'hello' in a whispering tone, thinking that maybe the old ghosts of the house might hear. And maybe they did. There was a creaking sound at the top of the stairs and she whipped her head around, hoping for a glimpse of anything in the dim light. If it had been any other moment, if she had not been filled with a strangeness, then she would have ran out of the house and not looked back no matter how curious she was, but instead she began stepping up the stairs carefully, one at a time.

Faced with a long hallway that was just as poorly lit as the great room had been, she moved forward with determination. She had been lead here for something-*someone*-and door after door, she hadn't felt it. But then she reached the end of the corridor, a single slab of carved oak that was cracked to show moonlight streaming through the room's windows. This was it. Elena opened the door without hesitation, stepping past the barrier to find a distinct bedroom that was simply, though elegantly decorated. Elena looked around the place, staying steady and taking a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come.

There was a flutter and suddenly the door slammed shut and she wasn't alone in the bedroom. The presence, dark and so powerful and distinctly male, was there again, looking at her from the bed with knowing eyes, those eyes that pinned her in place with invisible force. A soft sound left her lips as the shadow rose, stepping towards her with shifting hips that sang of an attitude that wasn't to be taken for granted.

There were no words spoken, but a voice filled her completely, ordered her to come closer until she was in those arms. The embrace was warm, which was unexpected to her, she thought it would be cold and harsh like the shadow itself was. But Elena found herself pressing into it, turning her head upwards until her lips were brushing against the other's.

"Oh...it really *is* uncanny how you look like her," the voice from the darkness said, causing the girl to shudder. It was low and teasing...*amused* with her for a reason she wasn't sure. Was it important? No, no it wasn't, at least not in that moment, not with the touch of teeth on her upper lip. But something struck her suddenly, the teeth weren't completely blunt like a normal human's should be. The canines pierced her skin, causing Elena to cry out softly as blood bubbled to the surface, looking black in the dim lighting. The tip of the man's tongue pressed to the small wound, inciting a stinging sensation, though he...chuckled, licking up the liquid. "Pretty and with a sweet taste...could this get any better?"

Elena wanted to argue with him, to ask the stranger what exactly he was talking about, but again, nothing seemed to be working as if someone was controlling her baser instincts. The man kissed her softly, though it soon escalated into something hungry...almost angry. If there was any fight in her, she would have pushed back, but instead she had to stand there with chilled skin as he assaulted and explored the hot cavern of her mouth with his quick and skilled tongue.

He was suddenly stepping back in the next moment though and a part of her was shocked. As if he could read her mind, that baritone voice made a tsking sound before it promptly ordered her to strip. She did it with a soft smile of enjoyment, pulling off her hoodie and letting it fall to the floor before her hands were gripping the hem of her thin tank top, pulling it over her head. The shadow's head cocked at the look of her bra, delicate black lace that contrasted brightly with her pale skin in the moonlight. Elena didn't hesitate and continued, pushing down her stripped pajama pants and stepping out of them when they pooled at her feet.

"That's good for now."

She stopped and stood as still as a statue, presenting herself to the man as if this was a completely normal thing. He was back in her space again in the next few seconds, cold hands sliding down her lean body, feeling her breasts for a moment, and then her hips, jutting out in a tantalizing offer she was unaware of. Elena jumped when a hand was suddenly between her thighs, rubbing gently at her clit against the soft material of her underwear. She cooed and pressed into the action with desperation, reaching out to fist the man's dark clothing. In that same moment, she examined the darkness of his face, trying to decipher anything she could, but all she could see was the whites of his eyes and his smile, sharp and dangerous. Elena craved him without reason-it was stupid, she shouldn't have wanted any of this from a stranger, but she *did*.

"Oh...oh, please," she cried out softly, brown eyes flickering shut as his fingers moved faster and harder against the bundle of nerves. Elena was screaming inside, pulling away from him, collecting the broken pieces of her sanity while he laughed against the shell of her ear. His fingers slipped inside the thin piece of clothing, feeling the building wetness for just a moment before he went back to driving her closer to orgasm with just a few flicks of his fingers.

"Please what, darling?"

The words themselves were polite, but the way he said if caused her to tremble with fear and pleasure. "Please...more...," was all she could manage, but it was enough and his fingers slid back and curled up inside of the heat of her body. She was suddenly releasing, thrusting down against those thick digits while his mouth once again took hers. She knew in that moment, she was *owned* by this dark stranger whose touch was strange and wonderful, and with eyes that bored into her, demanding her very focus. There was nothing she could do.

"Such a good girl," he said, pulling his hand away from her and bringing it to his mouth to lick away her taste. After a moment, he petted back her hair, lips twisting into a killer smile in the dark.

She just watched him with something stuck between arousal and confusion, but he didn't seem to take notice. Instead, he was removing her bra and pulling it away from her lean body, and then pushing down her underwear, now wet from her pleasure. When he picked her up, Elena wrapped her arms around his neck and stared deeply into the night black eyes before her-he looked right back, sending a shudder down her spine. She looked away, though she couldn't for long, not when he was laying her down on the overly large bed in the room, sitting between her legs he had spread open wide. She caught the flick of his tongue against his lips and immediately felt like she was ready for everything he was going to give her.

"You're very...receptive." His fingers were sliding between the folds and curls of dark hair between her legs, collecting the building moisture. He let out a pleased sound, pushing his fingers inside her again and then giving them a sudden curl just so she would writhe. "Definitely. Are you ready for more?" He didn't let her answer. He pulled his hand away from her and quickly opened his jeans and pulled out his cock, stroking himself once...twice... Elena couldn't look away from the movement, even as he leaned in closer and pressed the tip of his erection to her entrance.

"Beg," he said suddenly in a commanding voice.

"Please, please...," she let out in a broken voice, pushing her hips up so she could rub her clit against him desperately. "I want you...take me, please..." Her eyes were once again riveted to his as he spoke.

"Offer yourself. And say...fuck me."

No, no, she screamed to herself, but the phrase was already leaving her bruised lips. "Fuck me, please..." Her hands skated down her body, pulling herself open so he could see clearly the wet pink of her core, how she pulsed, wanting him.

"Well...since you were so good and even said please..."

The shadow slid inside of her in one hard thrust, causing her to throw her head back against the pillow and cry out towards the ceiling. "Yes!" Elena pulled her hands away and gripped the sheets, thrusting back against him with a violent rhythm. By the way he was laughing under his breath, he was enjoying it, the way she was quickly losing control. Was this what he had wanted from her? What he had silently demanded?

She wouldn't have been surprised.


End file.
